So Tread Softly...

so proud

image: the graduate

Today Mr Tread Softly and I traveled up to Palmerston North to see my father in laws partner graduate from Massey University. She gained her Master of Education with honours.

We're so proud of you Myra!

shared easter moment

images: anoushka making a necklace from vintage glass beads

One of my favourite moments over the Easter break was spending time jewellery making with my god daughter. So grateful to have her in my life.

home + away

Posts will be few and far between for the time being due to Ma and Pa Tread Softly's continued stay with us. They spent the first week getting over their jet lag and then Mr TS and I whizzed them off to Nelson on the South Island for a holiday within a holiday! A cold beer is calling to me on the deck so how about my week in pictures? Yeah? Ok then.

we sailed from Wellington to Picton

through the Malborough Sounds

we rented a homestay for the duration in historic South Street

time was spent walking along beaches

photographing detail

eating fish and chips at the Smoke House

whilst this little chap looked on

a highlight for me was meeting up with the fabulous Melissa - I could have chatted to her for hours - I had so much fun - look at the beautiful fabric she gave me and the super stylish Charlotte cards - hey Melissa, lets do it again sometime, we could trawl the op shops, have a bite to eat and drink lots more wine!

so now we're back home and the Christmas decorations are up

wire trees

real trees

and a mountain of fresh organic from our garden

So there you have our week in pictures. I'll keep snapping away and will post again when I can. In the meantime, those of you who have emailed me over the past week, I'll be replying to you over the next couple of days once I've got my breath back!

Until next time...

5 more

Just 5 sleeps more until my folks arrive from the UK. Excited would really be underestimating how I feel right now. I can't sit still, can't think straight and keep giggling out loud whilst walking down the street. I'm getting comments about the ridiculous grin on my face that reaches from one ear to the other. 'Annnnnd relax.' Nope, can't do that either!

One of the things we wanted to do before they arrived was to finish putting in our new kitchen and we've done it! Hoorah! For the past year we've been living with our fridge in the laundry as it wouldn't fit in the kitchen. We've also been living with blue worktops, cupboards and woodwork and green walls. Great for some, but not for us. Take a peek at a couple of before photos. Well, almost before photos. Mr TS started to rip out the old kitchen before I even thought to grab my camera.

Mmmmm, classy! Now for the 'after' shots.

I think that it's the perfect kitchen for our little wooden cottage. Mr. TS did most of the work including making the wooden bench tops. How amazing is he?!

My folks were here last February and they love a pot of tea in the morning and really missed not having a tea cosy to keep it warm. So, to commemorate their second visit, I've made one. It matches the new kitchen of course - well, what else did you expect?! I just allowed the appliqued fabric to fray and surprisingly, I don't mind it one little bit.

I ordered some wool felt from the US a few days ago and it arrived today. I LOVE the colours to pieces! I can't find wool felt anywhere here. There are 66 million sheep in this country and no wool felt!

Thank you for your smashing comments regarding the last post. Always appreciated as I hope you already know.

Until next time...

{Update: I've had a few emails and comments asking where I brought the felt. My supplier in the UK can no longer get hold of the colours I love so having spent several hours trawling the web, I eventually discovered Erica's.}

daily bread

Family here for Anzac Day and we've decided to cook Italian so up at the crack of dawn to bake fresh focaccia bread. Enough for us AND our neighbours!

7am!

9.30am

9.45am sun-dried tomato and fresh rosemary

10am garlic shallot and fresh thyme

Until next time...

the best seat in the house

This is fast becoming the The Official Blog for Trumpet le Chat! I seem to be spending all of my free time photographing him in pet cute poses. Just give me a while to get it out of my system and normal service will resume shortly!

Until next time...

just the 3 of us

our new addition

We have a new addition to our family. His name is Trumpet.

On my parents final day here we visited the SPCA and spotted him sitting on a chair by the door. I went back two days later and we've now adopted him! He was a stray and we think that he's about 4 months old. He's so loving and whenever we sit down he's there on our knee.

 

Lovely comments readers regarding the last post. I'm always grateful for them.

Until next time...